


Family Gathering

by abutterflyobsession



Series: Artistic Differences: Strange Magic Art School AU [3]
Category: Strange Magic (2015), Strange Magic - Fandom, strange magic movie - Fandom
Genre: Drabble, Fluff, Human AU, My OCs, Other, art school au, aunt felicity, family gathering, strange magic art school au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-27
Updated: 2018-09-27
Packaged: 2019-07-18 08:35:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16114766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abutterflyobsession/pseuds/abutterflyobsession
Summary: A friend/relative who only sees Marianne and Dawn twice a year is Concerned. You see, Marianne broke up with her fiance (nice boy, so handsome and polite, good reputation, good future, such a shame it didn't work out) and the man she's with now...! He is very tall, scruffy, tattooed, and violent-looking, and Marianne's father says he has a criminal record. Marianne wears a LOT of very dark eye make-up these days... She is Very Concerned About Marianne. (sent by elf-kid2)





	Family Gathering

“Aunt Felicity at twelve o’clock!”

Dawn’s urgent whisper of warning shot through the chattering of the Christmas party guests, straight into Marianne’s ear and down her spine in a cold, tickling chill.

Aunt Felicity was actually no aunt of theirs at all. She was a cousin of some degree but her seventy-four years of life demanded more respect than merely calling her by her first name.

While Aunt Felicity had never been a particularly close friend Marianne had still looked upon her with vague fondness. Aunt Felicity was never coy about her age, proudly declaring her years and forgoing the various beauty treatments that many of her peers in the family undertook to tighten their faces and bleach their smiles. She had always had a grain or two more of common sense than many of Marianne’s other relatives did.

However, Aunt Felicity joined forces with the rest of them when it came to opposing Marianne’s relationship with Bog. She was one of the many concerned parties that cornered Marianne and tried to “talk sense into her” by disparaging Bog and praising Roland.

Marianne started speed walking toward the nearest exit.

“Sweetheart!” Aunt Felicity said from right behind her.

Marianne fixed a smile on her face. “Aunt Felicity! So nice to see you! How have you been?”

“Wonderful, dear, just wonderful. You’re looking lovely.”

Marianne blinked. She was wearing heavy eyeliner and eyeshadow, both of which Aunt Felicity had vocally disapproved of during previous parties. She was so taken aback that she couldn’t find an excuse to get away before Aunt Felicity had steered her into one of the little parlors set aside for guests who wanted a few moments quiet.

“I’ve been wanting to talk to you.”

Marianne couldn’t stop herself from wincing.

“I wanted to call you but … well, these things are harder over the phone. Is … is your young man with you tonight?”

“Bog’s here, yes.” Marianne said shortly.

“I see. Yes, I see.”

“Aunt Felicity I should really get back–”

“Marianne, dear, I want to apologize to you.”

“–dad is probably looking—what?”

“I want to say I’m sorry. I’ve been a silly old lady about you and your young man. Is his name really Bog? I’ve wondered.”

“Um, Alan Boggart, actually. Why–?”

“This year I was visiting some friends and I had a chance to see one of Alan’s art shows or exhibits or whatever they’re called. His sculptures were amazing! I went and read all the little essays posted by the pieces. Such thoughtful statements.”

“Uh, I’m sure he’ll be glad to hear that.”

“I was standing there, looking at all these things he had made and it occurred to me that your previous young man, Roland, could never do anything like that. _Make_ things. Roland is witty and charming, has a head for business, but I don’t think he’s made anything in his life. He’s completely perfect and entirely empty.”

Marianne wasn’t sure where this was all going so she said nothing and tried not to look obviously wary.

“Your Alan has _something_ to him. I realized that. I also realized that I should have taken your word for it that he does. I had an horrifying epiphany standing there in the gallery: that I’d become as close-minded and shallow as all the people I despised when I was your age and swore never to be like.

“My mother had rooms full of antiques and expensive things, all on display to show people how rich and important we were. I thought, then, that there was nothing in them that made us important. We hadn’t built those things. We had none of the talent or skills that went into them. We just had money. Your Alan, though, he’s a maker. He’s one of the people who puts beautiful things into the world.”

Marianne was still standing in place, drink in her hand, feeling tears coming into her eyes.

Aunt Felicity drew in a breath, “Anyway, I just wanted to apologize and say that … that I’m glad. Glad you found your Alan. You two are both makers and I shouldn’t have been silly and shallow over eyeshadow and tattoos. Really, dear, that purple brings our your eyes.”

Marianne had resigned herself from the start to her family’s opposition to her relationship to Bog and she had fortified herself accordingly. She developed a thick skin and amassed a collection of sharp retorts to nosy questions. That was how things were and she had had no expectation of them changing.

Now Aunt Felicity was sitting there, a nervous smile on her face, saying that … _approving_ of Marianne’s choices. It hit her hard, right in the heart, and tears started to slid down her face.

Aunt Felicity was actually no aunt of hers at all. She was a cousin of some degree but Marianne was glad to call her family.


End file.
